Yep, they were useless. Still kept falling off and a nuisance all round. I've used Alaskas, Pro-Piks, National nickel-steel picks and the standard Jim Dunlop plastic picks, and the Dunlops were by far the best.

I've given the all up in favour of fibre-glass or gel overlays at our local beauty-salon. Costs about the same as a set of strings and I get them done every three weeks. VERY hard-wearing (I've never broken one and I'm a hard-player) and so, so convenient - no rooting around in little ex-sweetie or ex-tobacco tins, no losing them, no clumsy bugger treading on them when you accidentally drop them on the floor) - and you get the nice sweet 'ping' that only the fingertip/nail combination can give.

I'm a guitar-player but I know at least one banjo-player who gets his nails done the same way.

Johnny :0)